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Vegetables called beetroot are grown all year round. However, October is still the main harvest time. The tuber comes in different colors and shapes. Whether round, cone-shaped, dark red, yellow or white, the palette is large. The beet also varies in taste depending on the variety. The classic red tuber is characterized above all by a sweet, slightly earthy aroma.

Why is the red tuber so healthy?

The beetroot is actually very healthy and is rightly part of a balanced and healthy diet. It is full of important vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and vitamin C. It is also rich in folic acid, which makes it a valuable vegetable, especially for pregnant women. Among other things, folic acid is responsible for the formation of new cells and prevents iron deficiency, as it also promotes the formation of red blood cells. In addition, the red root vegetables are very high in nitrates, which can temporarily lower high blood pressure.

Not only does it contain many important nutrients, beetroot can also be used in many ways in the kitchen. It is best to pre-cook them so that the earthy taste wears off. To avoid losing too much of the ingredients, it is advisable not to peel them before cooking. After cooking, it’s easy to remove the skin with a knife. However, you should wear gloves when doing this, as the red dye is difficult to wash off again.
Now there are no limits to your imagination: as a soup.

What’s the truth: Can beetroot prevent cancer?

Although the red root vegetable has so many positive properties and is particularly healthy because of the antioxidant effect, its effectiveness against cancer has not been confirmed. Scientists and doctors also warn against making one-sided “anti-cancer diets”. Rather, the unbalanced nutrition of such diets leads to nutrient deficiencies and weight loss.

If you already have cancer and are undergoing therapy, nutritionists recommend eating a wholesome diet.

Beetroot is actually a real regional superfood that should not be underestimated. Not only pregnant women or people with iron deficiency should therefore put the red tuber on their plates regularly.

You can find red rice products in different forms in stores. They are often advertised as natural dietary supplements. But be careful with the fermented rice.

Red rice

Red rice originally comes from China, where it is used as a natural food coloring and medicinal. Processed into powder form, it gives the traditional Peking duck its reddish color. Red rice is also known as “red mold rice”, “red rice” or “fermented rice” and is now also available in the western world in various forms as a dietary supplement. Among other things, you can buy it as red rice flour in stores.

Despite all the health-promoting effects that the package inserts of red rice preparations promise you, you should be more than careful when consuming it.

Production of red rice

Strictly speaking, red rice is not a real rice variety and should therefore not be confused with red-skinned rice varieties.

Red rice does not get its red color naturally, but through a fermentation process. For its production, ordinary white rice is mixed with special molds that stimulate fermentation. This creates the characteristic color and a substance called Monakolin K. It is this substance that drug experts warn about, as the Pharmazeutische Zeitung reports.

It is true that Monakolin K is a natural substance, which explains why products to which it is added can be called “natural dietary supplements”.

It is by no means harmless: Monakolin K is one of the so-called statins. As such, it is almost identical to the lovastatin available in our pharmacies – a prescription drug for high cholesterol levels.

Red rice and its health effects

Statins like lovastatin and monacolin K can cause various side effects. It is true that they can counteract high cholesterol levels. However, a distinction needs to be made here:
First of all, an elevated cholesterol level is not automatically harmful to health. The key here is to differentiate between “good” HDL cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol. Only the latter can lead to long-term problems such as vascular calcification and circulatory disorders if the level is elevated.
Statins, such as those found in red rice, can have significant side effects and should only be used in consultation with a doctor if there is a diagnosis of abnormally high cholesterol, and never for prevention.
For example, statins can cause muscle pain and cramps, trigger sleep disorders and even depression and cause blood sugar to rise, as reported by the Apothekenumschau. As with all medicines, interactions with other substances can also occur.

Red Rice Dietary Supplement

Eaten occasionally as a rice dish, the red rice should not pose any risk to your health. However, it also has no advantages over normal rice. The Federal Institute for Drugs, on the other hand, strongly advises against using it as a dietary supplement. Together with the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety, the experts warn in particular against daily doses that exceed 5 milligrams of monacolin K. Red rice supplements are particularly dangerous because they contain the substance in a concentrated form.

Natural remedies with risks

The danger of using red rice is not only the actual side effects, but also the lack of awareness of many people about its composition and effects. Just because you are dealing with a natural and freely available agent does not mean that it can have some serious side effects like a comparable pharmaceutical.

In the case of a pathologically high cholesterol level, you should therefore thoroughly reconsider self-therapy with red rice products. It is better to look for the causes with your doctor and to work out a treatment that is especially suitable for you.

To prevent high cholesterol levels, there are more effective foods that lower cholesterol levels without any harmful side effects.

Red pepper differs from other types of pepper not only in color. Here you will find all the important information about the spice.

Along with salt, pepper is one of the most important spices in every kitchen. It gives the food a spicy note and rounds off the taste. But pepper is not just pepper: A distinction is made between green, black, white and red varieties. The red pepper plays a special role in the kitchen – because the variety is very rare.

storage and use

Basically, you can use red pepper like any other type of pepper. But note:
You should not grind the red peppercorns in the conventional pepper mill. The grains are very soft – it is better to sprinkle them over the dish. Alternatively, you can gently crush the red pepper in a mortar and pestle before seasoning the food with it.
It is best to sprinkle your dishes at the end of the cooking time to preserve the full flavor of the peppercorns.
Due to its particularly intensive pepper aroma and its spiciness, the red pepper is particularly suitable for seasoning:
spicy sauces
vegetables
salads
Pan-fried meat (such as fillets and steaks; for the sake of the environment, however, the following applies to meat: less is more, and if so, then in organic quality)
Fish (but beware: most types of fish are overfished and therefore not recommended)
Because of its sweet note, red pepper is also suitable for refining desserts or chocolate – especially in combination with fruit.

In addition to its taste benefits, the red pepper can also score points visually. Due to their deep red colour, the peppercorns are very attractive and are ideal as a table decoration or topping for special dishes.

Tip: Red pepper can be stored for up to two years. However, you should store it in a dark and cool place and pack it as airtight as possible.

Red pepper: That’s what makes it so special

Taste: The red pepper is characterized above all by its special taste: During the long ripening period, a lot of sugar can be stored in the pepper fruit. As a result, the peppercorns not only taste hot, but also slightly sweet.

Ingredients: Red pepper also contains numerous vitamins: it is particularly rich in vitamins A, C and B6. It also contains minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron. This makes red pepper a particularly healthy spice.

Traditionally, pepper was also used as a medicinal plant in India, as it is said to have the following effects. It is said to…:

Relieve upset stomach and sore throat
help against rashes and inflamed wounds
relieve itching
and help with weight loss.
Rarity: The sun gives the peppercorns their deep red colour. For this, however, the red pepper has to mature for a long time. In addition, field workers have to harvest it by hand.

These factors make red pepper unattractive to farmers. They tend to opt for green or black pepper, which can be harvested quickly. That is why the red pepper is very rare – and more expensive than the conventional varieties. You can find it in delicatessen shops, among other places.

Production of red pepper

Red pepper does not grow on a special pepper plant. All the different varieties come from the same plant: the so-called pepper bush is a climbing plant that originally comes from India. From there, pepper cultivation spread across Southeast Asia to Indonesia and Malaysia. Today, the main growing areas for pepper are in Vietnam, India, Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The pepper bush grows mainly on tree trunks and can reach a height of ten meters. The shrub forms panicles with stone fruits twice a year. These are harvested and processed into spices in further steps. The different colors of the peppercorns indicate the different degrees of ripeness of the fruit:

Green pepper is made from unripe peppercorns that farmers harvest particularly early. Most of the time, farmers soak the grains in brine or freeze-dry them. As a result, the peppercorns retain their original color. Green pepper is characterized by its particularly spicy taste with a sour note.
Shortly before maturity, the farmers harvest again. They use these fruits to make black pepper: they dry the grains and skin until they become wrinkled and black. This makes the black pepper much hotter.
White pepper is made from fully ripe fruits. Farmers soak the fruit until the skin peels off. They then bleach the grains in the sun, resulting in the light coloration. White pepper differs in a slightly milder taste.

Red pepper is the latecomer among the varieties. The farmers only harvest the fruits after they are fully ripe. You have to carefully pick the fruit by hand at just the right time. Often the farmers can only win a few red grains. They then dry the grains or soak them in brine.

Red onions are not just a feast for the eyes. Their sweetish, slightly pungent taste distinguishes them from normal onions. They also contain many healthy ingredients.

Red onions – why are they red?

Many know the red skin of the onions not only from the kitchen but also from microscopy in biology classes. The red color ensures that individual components of the cell are easier to recognize. But what makes the onion red?

Red onions get their beautiful color from the anthocyanins they contain. These substances can be found in many so-called superfoods.

These substances not only turn the onion red, but also protect your cells from damage. Anthocyanins are antioxidants. Antioxidants bind free radicals, i.e. harmful oxygen compounds that can promote cancer, among other things. 100 grams of fresh red onions contain up to 250 milligrams of anthocyanins, just like black currants.

Red onions not only contain more anthocyanins than their lighter relatives: their taste is usually described as sweeter. So they taste comparatively mild.

Red onions – season, storage and origin

Onions are harvested from summer to early fall. Since they can be stored very well, they are in season all year round. Check out the Utopia Seasonal Calendar for more information.

When onions sprout and form green shoots, they are still edible. According to the Bavarian consumer advice center, this applies to both the onion itself and the shoots. However, the bulbs themselves lose their firmness as the shoot grows. Therefore, consume germinating onions as soon as possible.

According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, red onions have a shorter shelf life than light-colored onions. It is best to store them in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator.

Prepare and enjoy the red onions

Use the healthy red onions to flavor your dishes or to conjure up special delicacies:
Onion chutney or onion jam give red onions a nice flavor. The diverse dips go well with cheese or savory pastries.
The red onions also provide a pleasant, mild spiciness raw in the dressing or in the herb quark.
You can also caramelize red onions. They look particularly beautiful and provide a splash of color on the plate.

Mulberries are considered a superfood because they have many beneficial properties. We explain why the red, black and white berries are so healthy.

Red, black and white mulberries

Mulberries were originally native to Asia and North America. The white mulberry trees were planted for the production of silk, since silk moths feed exclusively on the leaves of the plant.

Three varieties – red, black and white mulberries – have been known in Europe since Roman times. Here the berries are ripe in August and September. The white and red mulberries grow in Germany because they can withstand frost, in contrast to the black mulberry tree. Mulberry trees grow best in wine-growing regions, as they require similar climatic conditions as grapes.

The fruits of a plant ripen one after the other and cannot be harvested at the same time. Since they are hardly grown industrially in Germany, it is not easy to find fresh mulberries. The fresh berries are soft and spoil quickly, so they are more likely to be sold dried or processed.

Mulberries as a superfood

Mulberries are often traded as a superfood because they have many healthy nutrients. For example, the berries contain the following properties:
Vitamin C: With 100 grams of mulberries you cover about 10 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin C – they contain 100 milligrams of the nutrient. While vitamin C is not uncommon, it is an all the more important vitamin that strengthens your immune system.
Potassium: Mulberries contain 260 milligrams of potassium per 100 grams. Potassium is important for blood pressure and the cardiovascular system.
Trace elements: Mulberries also contain the important trace elements zinc and iron. Ones are mainly found in the black and red mulberries.
Antioxidant resveratol: The substance is said to have numerous health-promoting properties: resveratol is said to strengthen the nerves and protect against negative influences and is used as an anti-aging product because it is said to slow down the aging process. However, the consumer advice center warns that these effects have not been sufficiently documented. Antioxidants also protect against free radicals.
Mulberries are said to have an expectorant effect. Therefore, the juice of the berries is said to be helpful for colds, for example.

Mulberries in the kitchen

You can eat fresh fruit with delicious desserts such as quark, ice cream or nice cream. You can also use mulberries – similar to blueberries – for baking muffins or a cake. Simply spread them in the finished dough before baking. Mulberries in the German trade probably do not come from overseas because they are very sensitive and do not tolerate long transport routes. However, you should make sure that the berries were not imported from another continent.

However, since mulberries are rarely found fresh in Germany, they are more often found in processed form. For example, you can find mulberry jam or jelly in the supermarket. You can buy mulberry juice to relieve colds.

The white mulberries are mainly traded dried. This variety is also available from German cultivation. White mulberries are suitable, for example, for homemade muesli or muesli bars. But they also go great in a nut mix for in between.

Red potatoes bring variety to your plate both visually and in terms of taste. In addition, the dye it contains is said to be beneficial for your health. We will give you all the information and tips on how to prepare it.

There are not only the classic yellow potatoes: in addition to purple potatoes, red potatoes are particularly popular.

Red potatoes are by no means new. Most of them are old varieties that have almost been forgotten. In conventional agriculture, the cultivation of rare varieties is hardly worthwhile. Modern potato cultivation focuses exclusively on high-yielding varieties that can be stored well.

Red potatoes: varieties and growing tips

Like the yellow potatoes, their red relatives also come from South America, but you can also plant red potatoes yourself in this country. They also grow here in Germany and the cultivation hardly differs from conventional potatoes.

However, the yellow potatoes are much more robust than the red varieties. Good care is important for a rich harvest: Enrich the soil well with compost and provide the plants with sufficient water, especially during flowering.

There are some red potato varieties that are also suitable for your garden. Basically, you can distinguish between two categories:
Potatoes with red skin and light flesh
Laura: It is a very popular red variety because it stores well. The variety is predominantly waxy and retains its consistency. The peel is very fine, so you don’t need to peel it.
Linzer Rose: This variety is particularly common in Austria and is characterized by its creamy flesh. It can also be stored well and germinates late.
Desiree: The Desiree red potato produces large lush tubers that cook floury.

Red potatoes – particularly healthy thanks to their colour

The potatoes get their color from the plant pigment anthocyanin, which is one of the flavonoids. In 2017, the Food and Nutrition Research team did a comprehensive study of the phytochemical and its health benefits. The dye works, among other things:
antioxidant
anti-cancerous
antimicrobial
preventive against cardiovascular diseases
against obesity
This makes the colorful tubers even healthier than their yellow relatives. Otherwise, they hardly differ from conventional potatoes in terms of their nutritional values. The tubers are high in carbohydrates, but due to their high water content, they are low in calories compared to other carbohydrate sources. Some red varieties contain slightly more starch than their yellow counterparts.

Prepare red potatoes

Red potatoes add variety and color to your plate. In terms of taste, they are often described as nutty and spicier than yellow potatoes. Here, too, the taste varies depending on the variety. As with yellow potatoes, a distinction is made in the preparation according to the consistency:
Waxy potatoes are particularly suitable for:
fried potatoes
potato salad
homemade fries
You use floury potatoes for:
baked potatoes
Mashed potatoes
potato casserole
The anthocyanin contained remains even after cooking, but the color fades slightly because the dye is water-soluble. The following tips will help you to preserve the color:
Boil the potatoes whole with the skin on. You only need a little water for this. The peel protects not only the color but also the nutrients.
Alternatively, you can steam cook red potatoes. With this gentle preparation, nutrients and color are particularly well preserved.
The potatoes also keep their color well in the oven.

Tips and home remedies for removing red wine stains from fabric, carpets, sofas, or jeans. This is how you get the dark red stains removed quickly and easily without having to resort to expensive special agents.

A red wine stain on clothing is, in some cases, a medium-sized disaster. The red wine stains can be easily and safely removed with simple means. In this article, we will explain how you can get rid of red wine stains, which home remedies will help you, and what you should consider.

The best home remedies for removing red wine stains

You sit comfortably with the family and drink a glass of red wine and – bang – it happened: A sometimes only very small red wine stain is probably still spreading on white trousers or a white top. You can use a variety of home remedies to remove red wine stains. We present the four most effective means here with brief instructions for quick and effective help.

1) Soak stained textiles in mineral water

To remove a fresh red wine stain on clothing or other fabric fibers, soaking the affected garment in mineral water can help. You can either use mineral water from the bottle or from the sparkling water maker. The carbon dioxide bubbles it contains can loosen the red wine pigments from the fabric.

Then all you have to do is rinse the garment again with clear water and then dab it with a piece of kitchen roll. You should proceed cautiously if there are still red wine residues in the fibers. If you take a more resolute approach, you can work the remaining residues even deeper into the fibers in the worst case. You can also use this method to remove stubborn fruit stains.

2) Remove fresh red wine stains with baby powder

You can also powder baby powder onto the fresh stain, let it soak in, and simply wipe it off. The red wine is thus pulled out of the textile. This also works, for example, on sofas or carpets that you cannot easily soak and wash.

It is important that you then immediately rinse the stain with water or dab it off. If residue from the stain is still visible, rub the stain with salt for a few hours. You should then wash the textiles as normal. In addition, read how you can remove spinach stains and which home remedies help against grass stains.

3) Get rid of old red wine stains with lemons and salt

You only noticed the stain later and it has already dried up? Then first drip a few drops of lemon juice onto the red wine stain and then sprinkle it with salt. The salt pulls the red wine out of the tissue. Once dry, brush or vacuum off the salt and wash the garment normally. You can also easily remove tea stains with lemon juice and get rid of chocolate stains with flour and salt.

4) Remove red wine stains with window cleaner

Another variation is to remove the red wine stain with colorless window cleaner. To do this, soak the garment or stain it. You can repeat this until the window cleaner pulls all of the red paint out of the affected garment. You should then rinse the textile thoroughly with clear water. Also, note tips for removing deodorant stains from clothing.

After the easy removal with these home remedies, you can hopefully enjoy the red wine again without having to worry about possible stains. And if something goes wrong again, you now know how you can help yourself. With these tips, you can make the red wine glasses really shine for the next good drop.

Legumes are becoming increasingly popular in the kitchen. And rightly so: Red lentils in particular are real little powerhouses. Here you can find out why they should not be missing in any menu.

Red lentils as a healthy filler

With around 343 calories per 100 grams, red lentils may not seem like light food at first glance. But the low fat content of around two grams and the high content of complex carbohydrates make them a healthy food.

The fiber content is also impressive: With 11 grams of fiber per 100 grams, they even trump oat and spelled flakes. This is also the reason for the legume’s low glycemic index. This means that after eating red lentils, the blood sugar level rises only slowly. This will keep you full longer and avoid cravings.

Red lentils are real protein bombs

The small legumes contain around 26 grams of protein per 100 grams. They are in no way inferior to many animal products and are not only a healthy source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. It is best enjoyed with a portion of rice to provide your body with all eight essential amino acids.

Red lentils score with many vital substances

Last but not least, red lentils provide our body with important minerals such as iron, zinc, folic acid and magnesium, as well as a number of B vitamins. They are also rich in antioxidants, which supports our body’s defense mechanisms.

Cooking and kitchen tips

Unlike other types of lentils, you don’t have to soak red lentils. That’s because they’re already peeled. So we only eat the inside of the lentil, which is reddish in color. Unprocessed, they have a brownish skin. Before you cook them, it’s important to rinse the lentils well using a sieve. Then cook them for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your needs. Use two cups of water for one cup of lentils.

You can find many Indian recipes that use lentils as they are actually a staple food in India. They definitely deserve this status because of their valuable ingredients.

Wild rose hips taste sweet and sour and are the fruits of autumn. In this article you will find out what you should consider when harvesting.

Wild rose hips are the (pseudo) fruits of some native rose species. Depending on the variety, the color palette of rose hips ranges from dark red to light red to orange. They can be round or oval.

Why is it interesting to harvest wild rose hips? On the one hand, the regional superfood is rarely available in stores as a raw product. On the other hand, they are also extremely healthy as they contain a lot of vitamin C (more than lemons per gram) as well as anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Wild rose hips taste sweet and sour.

Where can you find wild rose hips?

Rose hips are the fruit of some rose plants. When the flowering period is over, you can discover the red fruits on the bush. The rose hips contain kernels, the seeds or nuts of the rose plant. Not every rose grows rose hips, but you can find them on many wild rose varieties such as the apple or dog rose.

Rose hips usually grow on large shrubs at the edges of forests, on paths or in bushes and hedges. Roses like sunny locations and nutrient-rich soil. It is better to avoid rose hips on roadsides, as they could be contaminated with fine dust. Just look for rose hips on your next walk. Once you have found a bush, keep checking back, as not all the fruit on the bush will ripen at the same time.

The MundraubMap from the anti-fall fruit platform mundraub.org also provides information. This shows the locations of fruit-bearing plants on a map near you. Basically, you can harvest wild rose hips anywhere. However, pay attention to property rights and handle the plants with care.

What is there to consider when harvesting wild rose hips?

The best time to harvest wild rose hips is from September to December. It is best to harvest when the sun is shining (e.g. at midday), as the vitamin content is higher then. After the first frost on cool autumn nights, rosehips are said to taste more intense because the sugar content increases. However, the skin of the fruit also becomes mealy due to frost and is no longer as firm. However, rose hips are tasty throughout the harvest season. The best time to harvest also depends on how you want to use the rose hips. If you want to process them further, you should harvest them early, if you want to eat them raw, it can also be a later point in time.

Be careful not to confuse rose hips with other red fruits found on shrubs, such as deadly nightshade. However, these fruits are usually much darker (rather black) in color. If you are unsure, better keep your hands off it.

When you pick the rose hips, you should be careful as the bushes have thorns or prickles. If necessary, wear sturdy gardening gloves and clothing that won’t snag you.

Eat wild rose hips

Be careful, you can’t just put wild rosehips straight from the bush in your mouth. Some of the rosehip is not edible raw. A part of the rosehip is not edible raw: the core of the rosehip, which is inside, has hairs with barbs; these can cause itching on skin contact. But what you can do: If the rose hips are ripe and soft enough, you can press them together with your fingers. The marrow should come out on one side – you can then snack on it right away – and the seeds stay inside.

At home, you wash off the collected rose hips with cold water. Remove the stalk, bud base and seeds from each fruit. Be sure to wear gloves. Another option is to boil the whole rose hips in hot water until soft and then squeeze them through a sieve. This way the cores are left behind. How you prepare your collected wild rose hips depends on how you want to process them further.

If you have harvested wild rosehips, you should eat or process them immediately after harvesting. They will keep in the fridge for a maximum of two to three days.

Use wild rose hips

You can make a variety of things from rose hips. Even if you have collected them from nature, you should wash them thoroughly with cold water before use. Note: If you want to benefit from the many vitamins in wild rose hips, only heat them slightly when processing them, as they lose some of them when they are cooked.

On the one hand, you can process them fresh:

Jam: Prepare rosehip jam. This can be used in many ways: it can be used as a spread on your bread, but can also be used in pastries such as cookies or donuts. You can also prepare mousse or jelly from wild rose hips.
Liqueur: You can conjure up delicious rosehip liqueur with sugar and a schnapps of your choice.
Juice: You can filter rosehip juice by boiling it with water, sugar and a little citric acid.
Syrup: Rosehip syrup keeps for a particularly long time and can refine all drinks and dishes.
Tea: You can dry the rosehip seeds and brew a tea from them. It is important that you put them through a sieve and shake them several times so that as many hairs as possible are gone. You don’t want these in your tea. You can store the dried seeds in an airtight container. You need two to three teaspoons of rosehip seeds per cup and leave them in hot water for eight to ten minutes.
Rosehip Oil: It contains many vitamins, healthy fatty acids and minerals.
On the other hand, wild rose hips are also an all-rounder in the dried version:

Instructions for drying the fruit can be found in our article Drying rose hips: how to preserve them. As a guide, firm fruits are often a little better for drying, as softer ones can begin to rot during the drying process.

You can store them as whole dried fruits or process them into rosehip powder. With both variants, you can add them to your smoothie, muesli or porridge, for example, or give your salad a sweet kick. A classic use is a delicious rosehip tea.

Another possible use is to use rosehips as decoration, such as in your autumn decorations or in the Advent wreath.

The French particularly appreciate their milk coffee with a delicious and leisurely breakfast. The obligatory breakfast croissant is often dunked in the steaming café au lait. The French milk coffee is traditionally served in a bol, a handleless bowl.

Important when preparing a real café au lait is the simultaneous pouring of coffee and hot milk into the bol. Otherwise it is not a café au lait! In France, if a regular coffee is to be ordered, a grand caé or a café double should be requested. Otherwise you will be served an espresso.